President Bola Tinubu has pledged his administration’s full support for the Dangote Refinery’s planned expansion from 650,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 1.4 million bpd, describing the project as a landmark development for Nigeria and the global energy sector.
Represented by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, at the 19th OTL Africa Downstream Conference and Exhibition in Lagos, the President said the Federal Government would continue to back private investments that enhance value addition and energy security.
“When completed, the expansion will make the Dangote Refinery the largest in the world, surpassing India’s Jamnagar Refinery,” Tinubu stated, adding that the initiative aligns with his administration’s vision to build a competitive and deregulated downstream market.
Dangote Group President, Aliko Dangote, who announced the expansion at a press conference in Lagos, said the project underscores confidence in Nigeria’s future and Africa’s capacity to shape its own energy destiny.
“We are more than doubling the barrels to 1.4 million from 650,000,” Dangote said. “This expansion is about confidence in Nigeria, in Africa, and in our capacity to shape our own energy future.”
Lokpobiri, speaking on behalf of the President, noted that Africa imported about $120 billion worth of hydrocarbon resources in 2024, stressing that Nigeria must reclaim part of that value through large-scale refining and efficient distribution systems.
The President reaffirmed that his administration would provide the necessary policy and infrastructural support to ensure the refinery’s success and strengthen Nigeria’s position as a continental energy hub.
